The benefits and harms of pistachios
Pistachios are a kernel of the fruit of the "pistachio" tree, but the opinion among the people is that it is a nut. The pistachio tree is one of the oldest fruiting plants in human history. Its height reaches up to 10 meters and can live up to 400 years.
Each nut is a concentrate of valuable substances, vitamins and microelements. Pistachios contain bioactive energetic substances that support and ensure human health.
Content:
The benefits of pistachios for the human body
- Composition and calorie content
- Beneficial features
- The benefits of pistachios for various diseases
- The benefits of pistachios for women and men
- How are pistachios used?
- The harm of pistachios
- Are pistachios harmful to children?
- Where and how do pistachios grow?
- How Do I Pick Good Pistachios?
- How to store pistachios correctly?
- The rate of use of pistachios
The benefits of pistachios for the human body
The value of these nuts for human health is undeniable, it has been known about it for a long time. Even in an era of product availability, pistachios can have a positive effect on wellness thanks to their ingredients.
Composition and calorie content
- Fats: 44.9 g
- Proteins: 21.0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Water: 3.9 g
- Ash: 2.9 g
- Cellulose: 10,3 g
Vitamins (per 100 g): |
amount |
% RDA |
| Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) | 1.7 mg | 85% |
| Vitamin B1 (thiamin) | 0.87 mg | 51.2% |
| Lutein + Zeaxanthin | 1405 mcg | 23.4% |
| Vitamin B7 (biotin) | 10 mcg | 20% |
| Vitamin B4 (choline) | 90 mg | 18% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 2.3 mg | 15.3% |
| Vitamin B9 (folic acid) | 51 μg | 12.8% |
| Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) | 0.52 mg | 10.4% |
Minerals (in 100 g): |
amount |
% RDA |
| Vanadium | 170 mcg | 425% |
| Boron | 200 mcg | 285.7% |
| Silicon | 50 mg | 166.7% |
| Manganese | 1200.0-3800 mcg | 125% |
| Copper | 500.0-1300 mcg | 90% |
| Phosphorus | 490 mg | 61.3% |
| Cobalt | 5 μg | 50% |
| Zirconium | 25 mcg | 50% |
|
Selenium |
7-50 mcg | 43.8% |
| Potassium | 1025 mg | 41% |
| Molybdenum | 25 mcg | 35.7% |
| Magnesium | 121 mg | 30.3% |
| Nickel | 40 mcg | 26.7% |
| Iron | 3.92 mg | 26.1% |
| * Strontium | 200 mcg | 25% |
| Zinc | 2200-2800 mcg | 20.8% |
| Rubidium | 20.2 mcg | 20.2% |
| Chromium | 6.9 mcg | 13.8% |
| Sulfur | 100 mg | ten% |
Other important connections:
- Phytosterols - 214 mg (389.1% of the RDI)
- Purines - 32.6 mg (26.7% of the RDI)
- Oxalic acid - 49 mg (12.3% of the RDI)
Complete chemical composition ➤
Beneficial features
- Vitamin PP - stimulates digestion and normalizes the hormonal background of the human body, is taken to prevent the formation of cholesterol and remove atherosclerotic plaques, stimulates hematopoiesis.
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Vitamin B 1 (thiamine) - supports the activity of the body under significant stress: athletes, pregnant women, those who perform hard physical work, the elderly. It activates mental activity, restores strength after a serious illness and surgery. Like other B vitamins, thiamine helps prevent insomnia and strengthens the nervous system.
- Vitamin B 2 (riboflavin) - retains skin elasticity, promotes conversion of nutrients coming from the food into energy. Riboflavin promotes tissue regeneration, normalization of the nervous system.
- Vitamin B 5 (pantothenic acid), or "architect of slender forms" - helps to burn excess fat, assimilate other vitamins, which is especially valuable in old age.
- Vitamin B 6 (pyridoxine) - normalizes blood sugar levels, preventing surges in glucose, promotes the absorption of fatty acids, normalizes metabolism in brain tissues. In combination with other vitamins, it heals the cardiovascular and nervous system, which is the prevention of ischemia, myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis.
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Vitamin B 9 (folic acid) - is essential during pregnancy to prevent severe fetal malformations, strengthens the immune system, normalizes the liver, hematopoietic system, and digestion.
- Vitamin E (tocopherol) - slows down the aging process, makes the skin smooth and elastic, protecting it from pigmentation, normalizes blood pressure and blood clotting.
Fiber in pistachios improves intestinal peristalsis, helps to cleanse the body of toxins. Lutein, which is part of their composition, improves visual acuity.
Pistachios have a very valuable quality - they are a powerful aphrodisiac that increases libido.
These fruits reduce the heart rate during tachycardia, help with diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Eating pistachios is very beneficial for those who work under regular stress, as well as those who need an increased level of brain activity. You can count on pistachios to normalize sleep, relieve nervousness, irritability, and feelings of fatigue.
The benefits of pistachios for various diseases
Diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Positive results in cardiovascular diseases are due to the high content of unsaturated fatty acids in it. In a two-stage "blind" study conducted over 3 weeks, the level of "bad" cholesterol decreased by 12%. This key factor in the development of diseases of the heart and blood vessels can be reduced by the use of polyunsaturated fats and nut fiber, which is present in excess in pistachios.
According to the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition", the use of pistachios increases the level of such a valuable trace element as potassium by 10-20%, which is extremely useful for lowering blood pressure and normalizing fat metabolism in patients with cardiovascular diseases.
According to medical research, inflammatory processes in the blood vessels can be another cause of heart disease. The antioxidants contained in pistachios (especially lutein) reduce the intensity of inflammation, even with moderate. their use.
- Maintaining visual acuity. One serving of pistachios contains 343 mcg of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxatnin, which are essential for perfect vision, which is a very good indicator. In addition, the beta-carotene in pistachios is converted by biochemical reactions into vitamin A, which supports excellent vision.
- Fight aging. The fat-soluble antioxidant in pistachios protects the body from lipid peroxides, which are formed when antioxidant activity is insufficient to slow aging. For such efficiency, it is necessary that pistachios occupy at least 1/5 of the total calories in the diet.
- Antidiabetic properties Antioxidants in pistachios slow down or completely stop the reaction of glycation of proteins, leading to a violation of the acid-base balance in the body, the appearance of diabetes, which destroys the tissues of the human body.
To show the valuable qualities of pistachios, it is best to eat them raw, although fried pistachios are healthy. They are added to desserts, salads, halva, meat dishes.
The benefits of pistachios for women and men
These nuts are able to slightly stop the aging process of the human body, maintain the skin, hair, nails in optimal condition.
In cosmetology all over the world, the properties of pistachio oil are highly valued for the preparation of anti-aging baths, lotions and compresses.
The high calorie content of pistachios allows them to be used in dietary food as a snack (no more than 30 g) to cheer up, reduce hunger, and normalize appetite.
Pistachios gently cleanse the intestines and help burn excess fat.
There are partial restrictions on the use of pistachios by pregnant and lactating women in large quantities, so as not to cause an allergy attack.
Pistachios act on the male body in an exciting and tonic way, increasing potency and libido.
Pistachios are the strongest aphrodisiac known for a long time. To obtain the effect, it is enough to eat a handful of nuts a day
According to a study conducted by scientists in the UK, regular use of pistachios has a positive effect on the motor activity of sperm and improves sperm quality. These properties are very useful for couples seeking to conceive a child.
How are pistachios used?
- As an appetizer for beer or an addition to desserts and other dishes. Most of all, pistachios are known as a delicious snack for beer. But besides this, pistachios are used in the food industry as an ingredient in ice cream and sweets. They are added to ice creams and salads for a sophisticated flavor.
- In cosmetology. Pistachio oil is used in cosmetology, both in pure form and in combination with essential oils and jojoba oil. Pistachio oil has a firming effect on the hair roots, so it is used to weaken hair follicles. In addition, the oil makes the hair shiny and strong.
- Pistachio oil. In combination with essential oils of orange, rose, chamomile, the use of pistachio oil helps to refresh the complexion, get rid of mimic wrinkles. The same mixture, combined with massage of the cuticle and nail plate, will relieve brittle nails and strengthen them.
The harm of pistachios
Salted nuts will worsen the condition of patients with hypertension, kidney disease, edema of the extremities. In children under 7 months and in lactating women, pistachios can cause allergies and, as a complication, anaphylactic shock.
For the prevention of complications in the form of allergic rhinitis, skin rash, disturbances in the digestive tract, nausea and dizziness, it is better to observe moderation in the use of pistachios.
Also keep in mind that pistachios are capable of accumulating the toxic trace element strontium (in 100 g - 25% of the permissible daily value).
Are pistachios harmful to children?
These nuts are a very potent allergen that is dangerous to the health of a small child. You can start using them from the age of 5 years of a baby's life, although at 3 years old you can try to introduce them into the diet, starting with one thing. When itching occurs, you need to fall off the manifestations of the type of anaphylactic shock and immediately stop using this product.
Pistachios have very valuable properties that are extremely useful for the development of children - increased immunity, the formation of a healthy nervous system, so they are a recommended product in the diet of older preschoolers and schoolchildren.
Where and how do pistachios grow?
The pistachio tree grows in Asia and northwest Africa. It reaches a small size, belongs to the genus of deciduous trees of the Sumakhov family. In culture, there are about 20 varieties of pistachio. The plant loves light and calcium-rich soil. The tree easily tolerates drought and low temperatures down to -25 ° C.
Features of pistachio cultivation:
- The plant is most often a tapeworm, that is, it grows apart, the pistachio forest is formed very rarely.
- It has a multi-stemmed, dense and low crown.
- The roots of the pistachio are arranged in 2 tiers, they go into the soil 15 m, in width - 40 m, which allows the tree to stay on the slopes of the mountains, where pistachios often grow.
- The tree has a thick silvery bark covered with small cracks. There is a waxy coating on the leaves and branches of the tree.
- For high yields, you need to have trees with male and female flowers next to it, up to 10 females can be planted on 1 male plant.
- Pistachio blooms in April with red-yellow small flowers, bears fruit in September in clusters of fruits, similar to a bunch of grapes.
- Pistachio fruit is a drupe up to 25 mm long. When it ripens, it cracks with a click, exposing an oily greenish kernel. Its aromatic taste allows pistachios to be used in various industries - from medicine to cosmetology.
- If a pistachio grows in optimal conditions, it grows up to 5 meters, and lives for 400 years.
How Do I Pick Good Pistachios?
Ripe pistachios have a green kernel and an open shell, and the greener the kernel, the tastier it is. The inner shell of the core is beige. The red color of the casing is artificially applied to mask a casing defect that occurs during manual harvesting. When assembled by a machine, the shell remains intact; it does not need to be painted. Roasted pistachios may develop redness after pickling them in a salted lemon marinade. The smell of mold in pistachios is a sign of their poor quality.
How to store pistachios correctly?
In order for this culture to retain its healing properties, it is advisable to eat pistachios fresh, not salted or fried. So that the polyunsaturated acids contained in abundance in pistachios do not turn rancid, the nuts are stored for no longer than 3 months in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Peeled fruits used in cooking can be stored for up to 6 months in the freezer.
The rate of use of pistachios
In order not to expose yourself to the action of essential oils, which manifest themselves with nausea, vomiting, loss of consciousness, dizziness, it is undesirable to eat more than 30 nuts per day.
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[Video] Dr. Berg scientifically explains why you need to eat pistachios:
The author of the article: Kuzmina Vera Valerievna | Endocrinologist, nutritionist
Education: Diploma of the Russian State Medical University named after NI Pirogov with a degree in General Medicine (2004). Residency at Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, diploma in Endocrinology (2006).
